Re-Connecting

Oh my gosh...I don't even know where to start.  After promising myself that I was going to post 30 days of gratitude, I failed almost immediately.  I seem to be having a lot of trouble with commitment lately.  Can I blame that on age or just me?  Probably just me.  I have become quite lazy which is not a good thing.  This blog and my connections with many of you gave me such daily joy, my photography was a passion. Hardly a day went by without grabbing my camera and taking a few pics, but it too has sat and not been used like it should be.  I am missing these connections and need and want to get back in the mode of re-connecting with you.

I will admit that prior to Thanksgiving I was busy, busy with creating calendars and greeting cards with my photography and I was able to raise almost $700 with the profits going to Alzheimer's Research.  That kept me really hustling, you know me, always last minute.  And then immediately after the Open House (where I sold my photography) I traveled to California to be with my son and daughter-in-law for Thanksgiving.  I don't know about you, but flying exhausts me.   What with the hassle with your luggage check-in, venture thru security, (you know that place where they practically do a strip search and x-rays, personally I don't think anyone should see my "rolls" except me in the privacy of my own bathroom with the door shut), walk the gazillion miles to your gate while hauling a back-pack with all my camera gear in-tow, standing in line to board while still hauling the back-pack and carry-on, struggle thru the skinny aisles to find my seat, helplessly trying to lift my carry-on into the over-head, (thank God for men who step up and help) and finally drop into my seat for the duration of the flight.  Instead of improving the flight experience for customers it has become an incredible ordeal with no snacks and to top it off you have to pay for your checked bags. (except for Southwest)   And then in landing everything is in reverse except now I deal with waiting for a limo to pick me up after retrieving all my belongings. Whew, I am exhausted just writing this.  I think I would prefer to spend 10 hours driving in the car than to go thru the hassles of flying. Ofcourse flying out of Chicago O'Hare and arriving at LAX has something to do with it too, 2 of the biggest and busiest airports in the US.  OK, stop the moaning and groaning.

I had a lovely time in California with my son and dil...it was sunny and warm almost everyday, however I did miss the rest of my family who were all here including that sweet Matilda who I don't see as often as I would like.  When I said "here" that is exactly what I meant, they spent Thanksgiving here at my house for 3 days.  I have the biggest house and I am located about half-way between my daughter and her family and my grandson with his family.  So with 8 people and 4 dogs the only thing missing was me. (altho my hairdresser told me today that maybe with all that I was better off not being there....snort).

I have a couple of books to recommend...one I read while in California and the other I began on the way home...Station Eleven and Big Little Lies.  Totally different from each other but truly enjoyed them, thumbs up for both.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I look forward to spending the holidays with you.

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on."  - Robert Frost

Until next time.....